My dog has liver disease and won't eat. How long can he survive?

Poor Baby! I would make sure you have him on a liver supplement and make sure you have consulted with your vet about medications that he needs to be on for his liver issues. I am okay with him eating chicken because eating something is better than nothing at all. I would consider adding in a multi-vitamin to help supplement the other nutrients he isn't getting. If his appetite is continuing to decrease, I would talk to your vet about rechecking his bloodwork to see if he needs any fluids or change in his medications and also getting him on an appetite stimulant. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sophie. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. She is likely not eating as she does not feel well. Dogs can generally survive several days without food. However, it is worrisome that she is not eating. She may be experiencing a progression of her heart disease. Furthermore, if a dog does not eat, they are at risk for becoming dehydrated. This will need to be addressed as well. I hope this information helps!

This is a very valid question and it is important to consider his overall wellbeing and comfort above and beyond prolonging the length of his life. If he is mobile, greeting family members as he normally would and eating enough (a specialised liver diet and supplements can help to reduce some of the symptoms of poor liver function by reducing the amount of toxins the liver needs to excrete. As long as his appetite is sufficient to prevent significant weight loss then it is likely he is feeling ok in himself. The following link can be very helpful for all family members to sit down together and discuss and can help in the medium term decision making https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/default/files/import/assets/pdf/hospital/companionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

I'm so sorry Luci is so sick. Many underlying problems can cause liver disease such as bacterial infections, liver shunt, autoimmune disease, or born with a very small liver. Certainly there are other causes as well. If your veterinarian has a diagnosis of why her liver isn't working well then they will be able to provide you with more of a treatment recommendation. SamE is thought to be a liver protectant, but it will not fix underlying problems. Based on what you are describing it sounds like Luci is really struggling right now. I would encourage you to reach out to your veterinarian and discuss a plan for her. I hope she improves soon.

Poor Flash. UV light is used in thin skinned babies to help breakdown bilirubin but this is not likely to be effective in dogs due to the difference in the skin type and also different mechanism of disease; likewise a blood transfusion would rarely be recommended to affect the course of disease but may add additional pressure on the liver (your vet may decide to proceed with such if protein levels drop or clotting factors become reduced). The liver has a good capacity to repair and regenerate and fluids and denmarin are very helpful in supporting perfusion and promoting recovery. Other targeted medications may be required depending on blood results (protein, bilirubin etc)

Hello Shrinivas. Bheem likely is nauseous and therefore will not eat. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe an anti-emesis medication such as Cerenia and/or an appetite stimulatn. You should also feed him a so-called renal diet such as Hills prescription diet k/d. Your vet should store that and if not, you can contact Hill's India and ask them where you can source this food. If you cannot find it in Hyderabad, you can call Dr Karkare in Mumbai. He can tell you where to get a good kidney diet for your dog. https://www.justdial.com/Mumbai/Dr-Umesh-Karkare-happy-Tails-Veterinary-Speciality-Khar-West/022PXX22-XX22-130909103224-M2Y7_BZDET Make sure Bheem drinks plenty of water

It is all dependent on the cause of the liver failure. Is the liver failure due to a primary tumor or other cause? Prognosis varies from pet to pet. Whether it is cirrhosis of the liver or a tumor causing the problem, the prognosis can be days to years depending on how severe it is. What I would recommend is further testing to help determine if there is a primary cause. You can drain his abdomen periodically to make him comfortable. If there is a liver mass, some liver tumors can be removed surgically by removing the affected liver lobe. Not that long ago, I removed a large tumor on a friend's dog that was causing fluid in the abdomen and also the mass / cyst contained approximately 750ml of fluid! The dog is doing great and the prognosis is very good as the tumor was benign. Some outcomes are favorable and others are unfavorable. It would be best to seek further testing to help get a better grasp on what the prognosis will be for his dog. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns and I would be happy to help you further.